Always Be Prepared
by ForeverJulie
Summary: A short story about Ben and Leslie from season 3, before they got together. AU. Rated M for sex and a little bit of profanity.


Hey there. I was recently watching a few episodes of Parks and Rec and this popped into my mind. I always liked the tension between Leslie and Ben before they got together. This is set right after episodes 10 and 11, the ones where Leslie is matched up with Tom on Hoosiermates and the one where Jerry paints Leslie as a centaur goddess for an art show. Anyways, keep in mind that it's AU and rated M for a reason. Also, I haven't written anything in a while and I've never written these characters before. Let me know if you like it and Happy Holidays!

* * *

It had been a rough couple of weeks for Ben Wyatt. He had recently – finally – moved out of the Pawnee Super Suites Motel and into Andy and April's spare room. Between sterilizing his clothes of bed bugs, buying a new bed, cleaning their entire disgusting house, and teaching Andy and April to be adults, it would be enough to make anyone insane. And yet, that had almost nothing to do with how difficult Ben's life had become. The reason, as was the reason for most of his emotions during the last 7 months in Pawnee, was one Leslie Knope. Of course, Leslie was amazing, but ever since Chris had informed him of the strict "no inter-department dating" rule, that had only contributed to his problem. Ben, stupidly, thought he would be able to control this problem. That is, he thought so until about two weeks ago. That's when everything had begun to go wrong.

Keeping Leslie away should have been simple. They were co-workers and even the times that they saw each other outside of Pawnee's town hall it was at a government event. As long as he didn't initiate anything, nothing would happen…right?

Wrong. Leslie asked him out. Well not really, she was probably just being nice asking him to go to JJ's Diner after work to discuss her ideas. Nevertheless, it was a chance that Ben couldn't take right now. Regardless of the fact that Chris had said no to dating someone in the department, Ben knew that going to JJ's with Leslie would be too difficult…no, too hard. Leslie would inevitably order waffles and then, inevitably, have to ask for extra whipped cream on top and then, inevitably, eat said whipped cream. There was no way Ben could be in public watching Leslie Knope eat an enormous amount of whipped cream and stay coherent…and focus on conversation…and walk to his car afterwards without anyone seeing how aroused he was. So, sure, after Leslie asked him to go to JJ's he had walked into the wrong office. But really it was a wonder he had been able to walk at all instead of walking into the door…or tripping…or grabbing Leslie and making out with her in the middle of the hallway where anyone could see them.

That night, his last in the Pawnee Super Suites Motel, it wasn't the thought of bed bugs that kept him awake. It was Leslie. It was every time he closed his eyes and saw her eating whipped cream, licking it off her fingers, feeding it to him.

He took a cold shower for the next few mornings.

And then he had endured a meeting with the parks department. An exceedingly odd meeting where he discovered that something was going on between Tom and Leslie. But it had to be some kind of joke. After all, even if they didn't know about Chris's rule, Leslie wouldn't really go for someone like Tom would she? Come to think of it, he didn't actually know. Ben hadn't really seen Leslie with anyone romantically and any time he thought about it, well, she was always with him. He had seen her turn down Joe from sewage multiple times. Although, that hadn't really been surprising. Leslie was too smart for someone like Joe, or really anyone from sewage now that he thought about it.

Of course, he couldn't help but agree with Joe about one thing. Leslie had a nice ass. Like, Leslie had a really, really, nice ass. It had been pretty hard NOT to notice it after the amount of times she had angrily stormed away from him when he first came to Pawnee. There was something in the way she walked when she was angry that made her look especially good from behind.

Still, Leslie couldn't be into Tom. Ben thought about it. Tom _was_ a nice guy once you got past his business skills and the way he talked about women. He was relatively in shape, especially considering his indulgent lifestyle. But ultimately Tom and Leslie definitely had different tastes. Besides, wasn't Tom shorter than Leslie? He wasn't sure. But Leslie couldn't like someone like Tom. If she did, then she probably wouldn't like someone like Ben, because Ben was pretty sure he was nothing like Tom.

Then he had talked to Tom after the meeting. Both a blessing and a curse he supposed. Tom had been joking around when he talked about dating Leslie. Ben was right, Leslie didn't like Tom at all. But she had kissed him.

Leslie had kissed Tom.

Not, Tom had kissed Leslie – which he could completely understand. No, it was the other way around. Apparently, it was to punish him. But how exactly would that be a punishment? Even Tom didn't really seem to be convinced that it was. It was all Ben could do to ignore Tom telling him about Leslie's kiss.

She was a good kisser. Great. That was all he needed right now. To know that the woman of his dreams – literally – was a great kisser. She "knew what she was doing" as Tom had said.

Ben sat in his office, working late. After all, he had to come up with an excuse to not go to some Pawnee art show where he would see Leslie and he didn't want to sit in his room at Pawnee Super Suites Motel which may or may not be infested with bed bugs – he would be moving out tomorrow. He sat. And he thought about Leslie. She was a good kisser. And she had used it to punish Tom.

Ben put his elbows on his desk and dropped his head into his hands. Maybe if he made her angry she would punish him too. If he made her really angry would she go further? If he burned all of her idea binders maybe she would have sex with him. He jerked his head up and ran a hand through his hair. No. She would never forgive him. And even if it did work, which he knew was unlikely, not only would he be fired but he would never get anything else from Leslie. And he didn't want just sex with her. He did want sex with Leslie. Ben really, really, wanted lots of sex with Leslie. But he also wanted to date her, to take her out and make her laugh and listen to her crazy schemes.

Sometimes Ben wished he wasn't so level-headed. Then he wouldn't care about Chris's rules and he could ask Leslie out. But Leslie cared about rules. So, that wouldn't work anyways.

At least he had still gotten lunch with Leslie. They had eaten Ron's burgers in front of the wildflower mural on the second floor. He got to talk with her and make her laugh. And the way she had looked at him when he asked to meet her there. How was it that she could, in one look, make him want to hold her and cuddle her and simultaneously want to kiss her so passionately that they both forgot all about the rules?

Ben sighed and began to pack up his things. She was going to be the death of him. When he got to his motel room he'd take another cold shower. It was a shame he was too uptight to jerk off in his office.

After his shower, in bed, when Ben closed his eyes all he could think about was Leslie punishing him and that look in her eyes earlier. And fuck it, he jerked off anyways.

* * *

Three days later Ben had moved into April and Andy's, rid himself of bed bugs, and purchased a new bed for himself. He had made a list of everything Andy and April needed to buy to be adults – although really they still wouldn't be – and given them money to accomplish it.

He was supposed to go on a date with someone Chris had set him up with. What was her name? Cindy? He didn't want to cancel on her because that would be rude and she really did seem nice. But Ben knew it wouldn't go anywhere.

Sure enough, the date went pleasantly. It wasn't even that awkward. But Cindy didn't laugh the same way Leslie did at his lame accounting jokes. And Cindy didn't love her government job and she didn't try to reference a famous female politician in every conversation. Cindy was almost as tall as him and she was brunette, her hair seemed so dull compared to Leslie's. Ben knew he wasn't being fair to Cindy, but he couldn't help it. So, when he took her home he didn't kiss her goodnight and he didn't say that he would call her soon. And Cindy didn't seem all that disappointed, which was an added bonus because that would make it all that easier to tell Chris that nothing was going to happen.

Ben was in the house, wondering for the umpteenth time if the couch was really safe to sit on to watch TV when someone knocked at the door…and didn't stop knocking until he opened it.

Leslie seemed as shocked as he was when Ben opened the door. And beautiful. Leslie looked beautiful. She had been walking around with an air of strength and importance for the past two days that was even more overpowering than usual. It was hard not to notice and it turned him on even more.

Leslie explained her dilemma calmly, as though she hadn't just stolen a painting from a government meeting, so Ben tried to follow along. She brought the painting in and he asked about it.

"Well it's a painting of me, as a centaur."

"Okay."

"And it's a nude," Leslie finished

Oh God.

"Just basically like the chestal region, mostly." She motioned over her chest with her hand.

"Uh-huh," Ben could hardly breathe, let alone talk.

Thank God she got that phone call. He couldn't think of anything worse than looking at a half nude painting of Leslie, while Leslie watched his reaction.

But he had to look right? And Leslie was in the other room having a discussion about the painting. He edged over to it, pretending to look at something at the wall and peeked down at the painting. Jesus, she wasn't kidding. He turned away. Okay, no, he needed a better look. This might be the only chance he had to see something like this.

Okay, so, if this painting was anything to go by, Leslie was perfect. Great, just like he imagined.

She came back into the room and he stepped away from the painting, trying to block out what he just saw. Trying not to stare at Leslie's breasts. Damn, she looked good though.

Then she asked him what to do and said that she hated rules lately. Something between them changed. There was understanding, an odd sense of camaraderie combined with sexual energy. Ben figured he was imagining that last part though.

Then Andy and April came through the door in a flurry of excitement and packages from Bed, Bath & Beyond. Leslie explained to them why she was there and they took a look at the painting.

Andy got down and looked at it close up – why didn't Ben think to do that when he had the chance?

"Leslie. I mean, not to be inappropriate or anything, 'cause you're my boss and my friend, but I would totally hit that," Andy said.

"So would I," April added.

Leslie tilted her head and took the complement, "You guys are sweet."

Would she have responded the same way if Ben had made that comment?

Andy stood up and scratched his head. "Alright so where should we hide it?"

"I want it over the TV," April immediately responded.

Andy's face lit up, "Babe, that's a great idea! I'll go get the hammer and nails." He turned to Ben, "Ben, where are the hammer and the nails?"

"In the garage," Ben responded unenthusiastically.

Andy ran away, leaping over a chair to retrieve them. Leslie was smiling. Ben couldn't take it.

"Well, you guys seem to have this all under control," he started edging towards his bedroom. "I'm gunna…I need…you guys have fun with that," and he turned and closed his door. Thank God he had made it into the right room this time. Ben leaned against the door and ran a hand through his hair.

He couldn't believe it. There was going to be a half nude painting of Leslie in their living room. Right above the TV. He would see it every day. He was going to die. Hopefully no one had noticed that he was half hard already. After seeing that painting and having Leslie so close and not in a work-related setting it was a wonder he had been coherent at all.

Ben changed into his pajamas as he heard them in the living room. It sounded like Leslie and Andy were holding the painting while April was telling them if it was straight or not. Then there was hammering. There was a crashing sound, then more hammering.

Ben sat on his bed, head in his hands, and closed his eyes trying to get the image of topless Leslie out of his mind. Because in his head she wasn't a centaur and she wasn't shooting a bow and arrow. The image in his head was much more dangerous.

He wasn't sure how long ago the noise had stopped. Ben knew he would have to leave the bedroom at some point. There was no bathroom attached to the spare room and he needed to brush his teeth. He would also have to walk through the living room to do so. As he sat, trying to build up his strength, there was a knock at his door. He sighed and stood up. Hopefully, they didn't need help with the painting, because Ben knew he couldn't handle that right now. He opened the door, ready to tell Andy he was going to bed and prepared for a marshmallow assault. He had to look down.

It was Leslie, smiling up at him. He glanced behind her, Andy and April were nowhere in sight and the house was quiet.

"Hey, Ben. Andy and April went to bed and I just wanted to say goodnight."

"Oh. Yea, um, goodnight." Real smooth Ben, real smooth.

But Leslie wasn't done, "You're not mad right?"

"Wha-"

"About the painting," she finished.

"Oh, uh, no it's fine. Why would I be mad?" Ben's hand went to the back of his neck. It was good that she just thought he was angry instead of knowing how aroused he was. Unless she looked down. Then she might be able to tell. After all, his pajama pants didn't hide all that much right now.

"Well, I don't know. You just left so fast. I wasn't sure if you didn't want us to put it up in the living room."

She looked so uncertain. Why did she have to be so thoughtful?

"No. No that's fine," he responded. "It's a great painting."

"Thanks," she smiled at the compliment even though it wasn't really her painting. Damn, she was pretty when she smiled. There was a pause, "well then," she looked down and quickly looked back up with a slight gasp, "I guess I'll be going."

Ben felt the heat prickle at the back of his neck as he blushed. Leslie looked up at him with those clear blue eyes and he broke her gaze, looking straight over her head instead. How short was she anyways? "Yea, um, I guess I'll see you at work." He was pretty proud of himself for finishing that sentence.

There was another pause. Why hadn't she left yet?

He felt her hand on the back of his neck and he looked down at her again as she tugged. He bent his head and she raised up on her toes to let her lips meet his.

It was a short kiss and she pulled back after a few seconds. He was dumbstruck. He looked into her eyes and didn't say anything. He saw the uncertainty there, but also the same desire that he felt. Silently, he reached behind Leslie and closed to door, pushing her close to him when it latched. He locked the deadbolt that he had installed the other day and bent his head to capture her lips again.

He pressed his body against hers with his hands on her waist and he felt the tension release from her body. She sighed and smiled into his kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her lips were soft and he kept his kisses slow, savoring her. When she parted her lips and he felt her tongue he couldn't take it any more. Ben groaned and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into him as his tongue invaded her mouth. She tasted more delicious than he imagined, it was a wonder all that whipped cream could melt in her mouth.

His hands moved up her back and she moved her arms so he could push her blazer off. One hand went into her hair while the other smoothed down her back, following the length of her spine. He paused for a moment before moving his hand over her ass, spreading his fingers and cupping her. She moaned and pressed her hips into his, rubbing against his erection. Ben was right about how great her ass was.

His lips left hers and kissed a path across her jaw and down to her neck. He could hear her panting and her hands went to the hem of his shirt. She pulled it off of him quickly and he returned to her neck, one hand still cupping her ass while the other untucked her blouse to spread up her back.

Her hands were all over him, feeling him, exciting him. Then suddenly both her hands dropped down to cup his ass. She squeezed and pulled him into her.

Ben gasped and pulled back to look into her eyes, surprised. Leslie smiled and bit her lip in response.

"I've always wanted to do that," she said, her voice slightly husky.

He smiled back and lifted one eyebrow, but it seemed she was unapologetic. She squeezed again and he was encouraged. Ben began to undo the buttons on her blouse as she started to kiss him again, still fondling his ass. Damn, she really did know how to kiss.

Parting her blouse revealed a plain white bra and as soon as Leslie shrugged off her blouse, his hands went to the clasp at her back. He pulled her bra away and simultaneously pulled back from the kiss to look at her as he dropped it on the floor. She didn't move or cover herself but her blush extended all the way to her chest.

Ben sighed and slid his hands up her sides to cup her breasts. Still staring at them he said, "these are way better than Jerry's painting."

He heard her giggle and then her hands came to his face, pulling his gaze back to hers. "Please don't talk about Jerry right now," she said seriously, and pulled him back down for a kiss.

Ben smiled as he kissed her and again trailed kisses down her neck, this time continuing between her breasts. He wasn't lying when he had said her breasts were better than the painting. Leslie in real life was incomparable. She was so much better than he had ever imagined. His thumbs brushed over her tight nipples before he sucked one into his mouth. He heard her gasp and her hands flew to his head, pressing him into her. Ben suckled one nipple, then the other, listening to her labored breathing and the way her breath would catch when he ran his teeth over her.

As he kissed across her collarbone, Leslie's hands went to the elastic of his pajama pants and he had to stop her. He caught her wrists in his hands and leaned his head against the door so his mouth was next to her ear.

"I don't have any condoms," he sighed.

There were a few heartbeats only filled with the sound of their heavy breathing. Finally, he had a chance at sex with Leslie and he didn't have condoms. Stopping now wouldn't be punishment enough as far as he was concerned.

"I do," Leslie finally said, a little breathlessly.

Ben pulled back to look at her.

"In my purse," she smiled up at him, "in the living room."

"Okay," Ben responded seriously and moved her away from the door. "I'll be right back," he quickly opened the door and slipped out.

Luckily, neither Andy nor April were in the living room and he located Leslie's purse quickly. Rather than take the time to search through her purse, he grabbed it and headed back to the bedroom. He swiftly slipped back in and locked the door.

"Found it," he turned around with a smile and stopped dead. His smile dropped and his mouth fell open.

She had taken off her pants. Leslie Knope was sitting on his bed, smiling and blushing and wearing red underwear…and nothing else.

"Good," she looked like she was about to get up but Ben dropped her purse and strode up to her, immediately kissing her and pushing her back onto his bed. She started giggling so he gave up on her lips and set out kissing her everywhere else, while his hands roamed over her body.

"Ben."

He started sucking on her neck beneath her ear and she arched up into him.

"Ben!"

Finally, dazed, he pulled back and looked down at her. Damn, she was beautiful. He leaned down to kiss her again, forgetting why he had stopped and she laughed again, pushing against his chest.

"Ben," she was still smiling, "condom…remember?"

He was confused for another second then, "oh, right." He looked over at her purse by the door before reluctantly getting up. Leslie sat up on the bed and watched him rifle through it until he found a condom, then dropped her purse again and returned to the bed. He tossed the condom on it before hooking his thumbs into his waistband and pushing his pajama pants down. He didn't wear boxers when he slept so he stood before her completely naked, trying not to blush.

He saw her eyes drop to his erection and they darkened. She licked her lips and grabbed the condom as she scooted to the side of the bed.

He watched as she tore the wrapper and rolled the condom onto him, sucking in his breath when she gripped him. When she was done he pushed her back on the bed again and joined her, covering her body with his. He pushed down those sexy red panties and she kicked them off.

He felt as much as heard her suck in her breath when his hand slid up the inside of one thigh to cup her center. He groaned a little when she spread her legs for him and he felt how wet she was. She gasped again and broke their kiss when he slid one finger inside her. He kissed her neck again as he focused on what she liked. Circling around her clit before pressing two fingers inside her.

Soon Leslie moaned and began pulling him in between her legs, gripping his erection and tightening her thighs around his hips. He watched her as he slid inside her, sheathing himself to the hilt. She bit her lip and moaned, arching her body toward him.

Ben could barely keep it together. His body was tense, trying to hold off coming before she was satisfied. But dear God she was so snug around him, so hot, and her body was so perfect.

They began a slow, steady rhythm and kept it that way until Leslie began pushing him to go faster. She gripped his ass and pulled on him, urging him to thrust harder and he followed, giving her exactly what she asked for.

He was entirely focused on her as they made love, so incredibly turned on at how she looked. He moved onto his knees and pulled her hips up for more leverage. As he thrust harder she began to moan.

"Oh, Ben…yes!" her hand came down and gripped the bedsheets. He thrust faster and then her head tilted back and her back arched. Ben leaned down and covered her mouth with a kiss, swallowing her moan of ecstasy.

Her muscles clenched around him, milking his erection and finally he let go, dropping his head to the pillow and groaning her name.

After a few minutes, Ben rolled over and disposed of the condom. Still breathing a little heavily, he pulled Leslie and she arranged herself half on top of him, her head resting on his shoulder, and he wrapped one arm around her.

She sighed and hugged herself close to him. He couldn't remember feeling so happy and calm.

"So," Ben began, "you keep condoms in your purse." Great, well that was a stupid thing to say. He covered his eyes with his free hand.

She moved to prop her head up on one hand and when he looked up at her she was smiling down at her. He was relieved.

"Always be prepared," Leslie replied cheerfully, "that's my motto. Well, that's one of my mottos."

He smiled back; she seemed in as good a mood as he was.

"I'm a little surprised you didn't have any condoms," she continued.

Ben cleared his throat, "yea, well. I, uh, haven't needed them recently."

Leslie watched her fingers trace patterns on his chest. "Well, Chris has been setting you up on dates, right?"

"Yea, but it never really works out." There was a slightly awkward pause and Ben decided to just come out with it. After all, things had gone pretty well so far. He sighed, "Leslie I haven't needed condoms in 7 months."

Her hand stopped moving and he watched her brows furrow as she did the math, looking up to him in surprise when she figured it out. "That's when you came to Pawnee."

"That's when I met you," Ben corrected her.

Leslie smiled so radiantly that Ben thought the sun might literally start shining out of her face. He smiled too and she leaned down to kiss him.

She sighed and nestled against his side again and Ben pulled the blankets over them. As they drifted off to sleep Ben realized he should probably go out and buy condoms…soon…tomorrow. Because Leslie was right, you should always be prepared.


End file.
